


A Second Chance

by curiouslyblessed



Category: Mulberry
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-07
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-28 13:07:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/674722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouslyblessed/pseuds/curiouslyblessed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mulberry simply can't bring himself to see Miss Farnaby to the end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Second Chance

“I can’t do it.”

Miss Farnaby looked up from her newspaper. “Pardon?”

“It’s nothing, I just forgot myself for a moment.”

“Very well, if you don’t want to tell me…”

“That’s blackmail, that is.”

“Call it was you like,” she smirked over her glasses at him. “But you have been inexplicably nervous these past few days. What’s wrong?”

“It’s spring,” he took her hand in his.

“Mulberry,” slid her glasses off her nose. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“If you only knew,” Mulberry pressed her hand to his lips. “If you only knew.”

“Then tell me. Tell me what’s wrong. I’d like to think that three months of friendship and… more counts for something.”

“You’re not going to like it.”

“I don’t care.”

* * *

Miss Farnaby pressed her palms together and stared at the floor. “A grim reaper?”

“Yes.”

“Come for me?”

“Yes.”

She felt as though she were floating through a haze. Everything was surreal. The last three months suddenly felt very short and small. “I understand your reluctance to tell me. I don’t know how I would have reacted before this,” she looked up at Mulberry. “But I know how I’ll react now. This is quite obviously your duty—your lot in life, if you will. It is something you must do.”

He shook his head. “No, I can’t. I can’t.”

She stood and put her hands on his shoulders. “Mulberry, I have lived almost seventy years. It was a good, long life. I shall leave it without regrets, least of all being you. How is it done?”

Mulberry stared at the floor. “I just see you to the end.”

“What are you waiting for,” she raised his chin with a finger. “Chin up, Mulberry. Everything will be all right.”

He gave a wan smile. “Yes. But first, can we go somewhere?”

“You’re not going to do something stupid, are you?”

His smile brightened. “How did you guess?”

* * *

“You what?!”

“Well I know your hearing can’t be going, but I’ll say it again: I’d like to give up my immortality in exchange for a lifetime with Rose.”

“You would do that?” she clutched at his arm. “For me?”

“Of course! Don’t you see? I didn’t stick around because I just wanted to rehabilitate you. I love you, Rose.”

“It a wonderful sentiment, son, but it won’t work. You can’t just give up your immortality! It’s not done!”

“Oh but it is.”

A soft, rose-scented breeze wafted through the trees followed by a beautiful woman swathed in sheer fabric. She smiled at Death. “Thantos, what a wonderful surprise. And Mulberry, how you resemble your mother—and in more than just looks. Rose Farnaby,” she took her hands. “I was so unhappy to see that your relationship with George didn’t work out. But that’s what second chances are for.”

Miss Farnaby began to glow with a soft, golden light. Mulberry watched as the years of sadness melted away from her face.

The beautiful woman smiled with a flash of radiant white teeth. “There. Now go in peace. And, Thantos, don’t be so hard on the boy. Remember his mother,” she disappeared back into the trees.

Death scowled. “Isn’t this just lovely.”

Mulberry took Rose’s face in his hands and kissed her. “Yes, yes it is.”

“That’s not what I mean, son. You’ve been remanded to obituaries for the rest of your days.”

“I don’t care,” he kissed her again. “I honestly don’t care.”

She beamed at him. “What shall we do first? Bungee jump? Deep sea dive?”

“Nothing, let’s just go home.”

“But how will we explain my new… condition to Bert and Alice?”

“A miracle wrinkle cream?”

She slapped his arm playfully. “Cheeky.”

Death watched them walk off through the woods toward the house. “What will I do with that boy?”


End file.
